June W. Stansbury Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England and United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan announced that WILLIAM SEDOMA, SR., formerly a detective sergeant with the Tiverton Police Department, was sentenced yesterday before U.S. District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf, to 19 years and 7 months' imprisonment, to be followed by 4 years of supervised release, a $10,000 fine and a $1,300 special assessment. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Wolf characterized SEDOMA's actions as "disgusting, despicable and disgraceful."

SEDOMA, was convicted of one count of conspiring to possess marijuana with intent to distribute, one count of conspiring to commit offenses against the United States by depriving the State of Rhode Island and the Tiverton Police Department of their right to his fair and honest services by engaging in mail fraud and wire fraud, ten counts of mail fraud, and one count of wire fraud. SEDOMA was an 18 year veteran of the Tiverton Police Department.

The evidence at trial showed that SEDOMA protected and assisted convicted drug dealer Alan Theberge’s drug trafficking organization by providing confidential law enforcement information and other specialized assistance to Theberge and members of his drug organization. Specifically, the evidence showed that SEDOMA warned Theberge when law enforcement officers intercepted drug packages that Theberge’s drug source of supply mailed to Theberge in Tiverton, Rhode Island; warned Theberge when one of his cocaine customers was cooperating with federal authorities; disclosed confidential investigative information to Theberge; intervened with law enforcement on behalf of Theberge’s drug associates; ran criminal record checks and registration checks at Theberge’s request; and warned Theberge when at least one of those registration checks revealed that the car to which the license plate was assigned was an undercover law enforcement vehicle. The evidence showed that, in exchange for protecting their drug trafficking operations, Theberge and his associates paid SEDOMA $25 per pound of marijuana that they shipped into Tiverton, Rhode Island.

SEDOMA was sentenced to 235 months imprisonment, followed by 48 months of supervised release, a $10,000 fine and a $1,300 special assessment. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Wolf characterized SEDOMA'S actions as "disgusting, despicable and disgraceful."

This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration with the assistance of the Massachusetts State Police, Rhode Island State Police, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation, Bristol County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tiverton Police Department.